After last week's DJ Top Ten, and in celebration of today's announcement that 6 Music lives, here's a countdown of my favourite radio songs. Turned out when I checked my library there were so many great songs with radio in the title, I had enough for a whole Top 40 - with some left over! Seemed an appropriate enough way of celebrating the evil industry...
40. Roxy Music - Oh Yeah (On The Radio)
39. The Ataris - The Radio Still Sucks
38. Hefner - The Greater London Radio
37. Jane Bond & The UndercoverMen - Radio Moscow
36. Edwin Starr - H.A.P.P.Y Radio
35. Nirvana - Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
34. Robbie Williams - Radio
33. The Vines - Don't Listen To The Radio
32. Black Box Recorder - Factory Radio
31. Everclear - AM Radio
30. George Harrison - Devil's Radio
29. Talking Heads - Radio Head
28. Helen Love - Summer Pop Radio
27. Elvis Costello - Radio Sweetheart
26. The Ataris - Radio #2
25. Jesse Malin - Broken Radio
24. Teenage Fanclub - Radio
23. The Ramones - Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?
22. Donna Summer - On The Radio
21. Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere
20. Dead 60s - Riot Radio
19. Jim White - Static On The Radio
18. The Selecter - On My Radio
17. The Clash - This Is Radio Clash
16. Latin Quarter - Radio Africa
15. The Concretes - On The Radio
14. Steve Earle - Satellite Radio
13. Rush - Spirit Of Radio
12. Scissor Sisters - Tits On The Radio
11. Regina Spektor - On The Radio
10. The Wonder Stuff - Radio Ass Kiss
Radio Ass Kiss on the air
Say what you like now no one cares
9. Queen - Radio Gaga
I'd sit alone and watch your light
My only friend through teenage nights
Truer words never sung...
8. Ricky Ross - Radio On
A haunting rarity from Ricky's first solo album.
7. REM - Radio Song
I remember REM purists getting all up in arms about the fact that this song featured a rap by KRS-One. Still, probably better than a rap by Michael Stipe. Unfortunately, 20+ years on, Radio Song has dated rather more than the rest of the album.
6. Tom Robinson - Listen To The Radio / Atmospherics
Tom Robinson was eight years old when he recorded this song. Seriously - just watch the video!
5. Kathleen Edwards - One More Song The Radio Won't Like
Ironically, I discovered Kathleen Edwards through hearing this record on Bob Harris's radio show.
4. Slade - Radio Wall Of Sound
In the early 90's, Slade decided they fancied a crack at the Def Leppard market stateside. They had to sideline Noddy a bit to do though...
3. Ballboy - All The Records On The Radio Are Shite
(Except Mine) sings Ballboy.
Except having the word 'Shite' in your title would probably rule out your chances of getting much airplay... although I did hear someone use the word "shitlist" in a news bulletin on Radio 2 this lunchtime, so anything's possible.
2. Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star
A timeless classic from Trevor Horn and co... whatever happened to him?
The Presidents Of The United States Of America cover version from The Wedding Singer is always worth a listen too.
As is this rather cool live version by The Wrong Trousers.
1. Elvis Costello - Radio Radio
I've featured this song here before, and I'll probably feature it again...
And the radio is in the hands of such a lot of fools
Trying to anaesthetise the way that you feel...
With forty songs to choose from, I must have included your favourite radio song... mustn't I?
